A24 is one of the most popular entertainment companies working today. Having provided viewers with dozens of incredible movies, the independent film producer and distributor has caught many’s attention over time, including critics’. Just this year, at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, their groundbreaking Best Picture production Everything Everywhere All at Once officially became the most-awarded film of all time.
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Still, while worldwide cinephiles agree that the company is consistently introducing new, exciting projects to its audience, there are a couple of overlooked A24 feature films — from High Life to The Humans — that, interestingly enough, do not appeal as much to the general audiences as they do to critics on Rotten Tomatoes, featuring a sparse difference in score. These are the most divisive A24 films, according to their Tomatometer ratings.
10 ‘High Life’ (2018)
Critics: 82% Audience: 42%
Image via A24
Starring Robert Pattinson, this intriguing sci-fi adventure by Claire Denis takes place in the future and beyond the solar system, centering around a group of criminals who are subjects of a human reproduction experiment. When Pattinson’s character is fathered against his will, he attempts (but struggles) to survive with his daughter in deep space isolation.
While many viewers find High Life’s slow pace unbearable and its storyline dull (with tons of explicit, graphic content surrounding violence, blood, and other fluids), critics, on the other hand, consider Denis’ film to be a very challenging and arresting human study. With taboos and parenthood at its center, the 2018 feature surely isn’t to everyone’s liking, and such a thing is evident through High Life’s divisive Tomatometer score.
High Life
Release Date September 26, 2018
Director Claire Denis
Runtime 110
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9 ‘Under the Skin’ (2013)
Critics: 84% Audience: 55%
Image via A24
Another film that divides audiences is Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, an enthralling sci-fi thriller revolving around a mysterious alien in human form (Scarlett Johansson) who drives around the roadside during the evening hours of Scotland and lures prey (men) into a transcendent dimension.
On top of beautiful cinematography and Under the Skin’s mind-bending narrative, A24’s somewhat disturbing sci-fi flick also serves as a social commentary on xenophobia and toxic masculinity, with one of Johansson’s most intriguing on-screen counterparts at its center. Despite being far from a box-office success (it had a production budget of $13.3 million and grossed a worldwide total of $7,491,534), Under the Skin is quite beloved by critics, who find it a haunting and mesmerizing feature.
Under the Skin
Release Date March 14, 2014
Director Jonathan Glazer
Cast Jeremy McWilliams , Lynsey Taylor Mackay , Dougie McConnell , Kevin McAlinden , D. Meade , Andrew Gorman , Scarlett Johansson
Runtime 108
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8 ‘The Green Knight’ (2021)
Critics: 89% Audience: 50%
Image via A24
With Dev Patel in the lead role, David Lowey’s take on the beloved classic tale “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” follows King Arthur’s reckless and headstrong nephew as he embarks on a challenging journey to confront a gigantic green-skinned beast that puts men to test.
Although regarded as a very disappointing feature to general audiences, mostly given its slow-paced, metaphorical narrative and unconventional ending (which isn’t as traditional as some other movies’), the compelling A24 fantasy drama based on King Arthur The Green Knight is considered one of the best Lowery and A24 movies by critics. It makes for a beautifully shot, spellbinding, and compelling film that seamlessly brings an Arthurian legend to life while shining a light on ambition, fame, and reputation.
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7 ‘It Comes At Night’ (2017)
Critics: 88% Audience: 44%
Image via A24
Trey Edward Shults’ gripping horror movie stars Joel Edgerton as the main protagonist and centers around two families who, amid a mysterious apocalypse that threatens the world, are forced to share an isolated cabin in the woods to keep disastrous events from unfolding.
Sending out messages about masculinity, violence, and how paranoia leads to false, if not detrimental, dangerous assumptions, the divisive It Comes at Night is undoubtedly an unconventional horror film that offers viewers a thought-provoking premise filled with palpable tension, in addition to a well-crafted score. Unfortunately, it was a major letdown for general audiences who expected something else from the film. However, the critics regarded Shults’ film as a successful thriller.
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6 ‘The Souvenir’ (2019)
Critics: 89% Audience: 36%
Image via A24
Set in the early 1980s, this divisive, slow-paced 2019 coming-of-age drama by Joanna Hogg stars Honor Swinton Byrne. It depicts the complicated love affair between a young, privileged film student who lives in London and a questionable older man (Tom Burke) who works for the government.
The Souvenir is, guaranteed, not everybody’s cup of tea. And what other place than Rotten Tomatoes to best prove it? Apparently, while many members of the audience find the beautifully shot Hogg movie dull and pretentious, critics describe the film as an impactful watch with great performances, carefully reflecting on the past memories kept alive in the present that make one who they are. Be that as it may, it is impossible to deny how visually striking The Souvenir is — after all, when talking about women-directed movies that should’ve won Oscars, Hogg’s film is at the top of the list for some.
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5 ‘In Fabric’ (2018)
Critics: 91% Audience: 52%
Image A24
With a department store’s hectic winter sales season as a backdrop, the main star in this distinctive 2018 horror comedy is a haunted dress that is passed from person to person, tormenting each one of its owners with devastating outcomes.
Peter Strickland’s In Fabric is very different from your average ghost story, and part of what makes it good is its undeniably sharp social criticism of consumerism in the modern world. While the film is far from being scary, it provides viewers with an unsettling time in front of the screen. Still, although it features an almost fresh audience score, some viewers could argue that the inventive In Fabric is not as good as critics would say.
In Fabric
Release Date December 6, 2018
Director Peter Strickland
Runtime 118
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4 ‘Mississippi Grind’ (2015)
Critics: 91% Audience: 55%
Image via A24
When hapless, struggling gambler and estate agent Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) finds himself trapped in his financial hardship, he teams up with a younger poker player (Ryan Reynolds) in an effort to improve his fortune and win back what has been lost. The two head on a road trip to a legendary high-stakes poker game.
Though it is also quite liked by a few cinephiles, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s enjoyable A24 comedy-drama, Mississippi Grind, is one of the most divisive flicks from the studio, which probably has to do with the clichés it features. Nonetheless, on top of featuring a nice friendship between the two leads, Mississipi Grind also depicts intriguing character studies and sends out valuable messages on addiction.
Mississippi Grind
Release Date July 4, 2015
Director Anna Boden , Ryan Fleck
Runtime 108
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3 ‘Uncut Gems’ (2019)
Critics: 91% Audience: 52%
Image via A24
Possibly one of the most adrenaline-inducing movies to date, Uncut Gems offers moviegoers a memorable Adam Sandler performance. The incredible Safdie Brothers movie tells the story of Howard Ratner, a Jewish-American jeweler and gambling addict in New York City who attempts to reconstruct his life after his personal and professional life is left in shambles.
While this 2019 urban thriller features a good number of admirers from the critical department, a few members of the audience do not understand Uncut Gems’ appeal. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that it makes for quite an adrenaline-packed watch that will have viewers on the edge of their seats. What’s more, the exhilarating R-rated movie tackles themes of self-destructiveness and, obviously, greed in a very inventive, captivating manner.
Uncut Gems
Release Date August 30, 2019
Director Ben Safdie , Joshua Safdie
Runtime 130
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2 ‘Gloria Bell’ (2018)
Critics: 91% Audience: 47%
Image via A24
In Gloria Bell, Julianne Moore plays a free-spirited and determined middle-aged divorcée and mother of two who has been living alone for ten years. In order to overcome loneliness, Gloria attempts to embark on a self-discovery journey and finds love in the wrong places (meaning L.A. dance clubs).
Although not a remarkable movie, the divisive Sebastián Lelio A24 feature undoubtedly makes for a profound character study, shedding light on loneliness and all the struggles that come with it, especially as an aging, mature, 50-year-old woman who is still struggling to make the most out of life. Furthermore, Gloria Bell counts on great performances from those involved and the film is a positive portrayal of middle-age romance, but that is seemingly not enough for the majority of the audience members on Rotten Tomatoes.
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1 ‘The Humans’ (2021)
Critics: 92% Audience: 45%
Image via A24
Focusing on a family gathering during Thanksgiving in a flat newly rented by the daughter (Beanie Feldstein) and her new partner (Beef star Steven Yeun), The Humans is a solid dysfunctional family drama film that pushes its interesting premise to its limits, depicting the family’s tension as it reaches a boiling point.
When it comes to sparse Rotten Tomatoes scores, Stephen Karam’s movie is obviously a very polarizing one. Much like what happened with other features on this list, the audience’s consensus seems to be that the 2021 drama is a bit monotonous and slow. On the other hand, critics can’t help gushing over how funny and atmospheric Karam’s Tony-winning source material debut feature is.
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